Individualized Language acquisition plan (ILAP)

The ILAP is a legally binding document with the same importance as an IEP or a 504 plan. The Supreme Court case Lau v. Nichols (1974) and subsequent legislation from the Equal Education Opportunity Act (1974) obligate school districts to provide MLs with meaningful and equal access to the curriculum. ILAPs contain pertinent information about each ML and the specific accommodations to meet their needs. All teachers that serve the student must follow the specifications outlined in the ILAP. 

MLs with an English proficiency level of ‘1.0-6.0’ or ‘A1-A3,’ whether served or waived, must have an ILAP on file reviewed and signed by each teacher serving the student. If an ML does not need accommodations to succeed in their classes, either an ILAP or other form of documentation must be signed by all teachers to acknowledge the student is an ML, but no accommodations are needed at the time. 

The plan will address the students’ accommodations in all classes to ensure their success and continued English language development. The ILAP should be created in conjunction with the MLPT, which includes members directly involved with the student’s education (e.g., MLPS/teacher, parent/guardian, general education teacher, guidance counselor, administrator, and the student). 

Although the MLPS/teacher is the case manager for the student and will create the ILAP, the accommodation plan should not be determined solely by the MLPS/teacher but rather by the MLPT. Once the MLPT determines the proper accommodations, the ILAP is finalized, and each member of the MLPT, as well as any educator/stakeholder involved in providing accommodations to the student, must sign the ILAP. By signing the ILAP, all teachers are responsible for accommodating the student’s work on a level they can comprehend. 

Accommodations must be considered carefully for each student for instructional and assessment purposes. Specific accommodations are allowable for district and state assessments. If allowable per the Test Administrator Manual (TAM), an accommodation listed on an ML’s ILAP should also be applicable for the district and state assessment. 

Students who have been reclassified to monitor status (M1-M4) after meeting the proficiency criteria on the annual ELP assessment may receive accommodations for continued language support as needed. However, upon further consideration and after a thorough review of ESEA Section 3113(b)(2), MLs who have met proficiency and are in monitored status (M1-M4) should not receive accommodations on content assessments. Therefore, students who have met proficiency (M1-M4) will not receive state assessment accommodations and ILAPs should reflect this guidance. 

The curriculum should be accommodated to give students work on a level that they can comprehend. Accommodations are minor changes and presentation of assessment like reading aloud, allowing more time, allowing the use of a dictionary, using lower level reading text, cutting out non-essential objectives and assignments, shortening tests or providing for altogether different assessment. Work almost always will need to be accommodated for academic classes unless this student is at the advanced level. Math is usually the first academic class that does not require accommodations; oh do word problems can be difficult even for advanced students. The need to accommodate curriculum in electives, related arts, or co-curricular will vary depending on how grades are assigned in those classes.

• The MLPS will develop an ILAP using his/her knowledge of the student, the results of the initial screener or annual access course, and the classroom teacher has knowledge of the student. The MLPS should also look at the history of monitoring reports in which if the student is new to the school but not new to the district.

• The plan will then be printed and all teachers involved with the students will sign. A copy will be given back to the classroom teacher to save documentation of how they are accommodating work for this student. The MLPS should include the original on the ML's cumulative folder for audit purposes.

• Accommodations must be considered carefully, as they will be used on district and state tests. Only those accommodations included on the ILAP may be used on standardized tests. Accommodation should be chosen based on the individual needs of the student and not applied arbitrarily to all MLss. The following guidelines may be used to make these decisions:

  • A bilingual dictionary may be provided if the student reads and writes in his or her primary language.

  • Oral Administration is appropriate if the student reads below grade level true for almost every ML.

  • Small group testing will automatically happen with oral Administration. If I student does not receive all the administration but would be more comfortable in a small group testing environment, this box should be checked.

  • Extended time should be allowed in classroom testing situations as well.

  • Every ML should receive the accommodation of repeating and rewording directions in whatever way is necessary for the students to understand what is expected.

  • Accommodations used in standardized testing should be used regularly in the classroom.

  • Read aloud and District approved word-to-word dictionaries can be utilized on standardized tests.

** Some students have both IEPs and ILAPs. In this case, the MLPS and the students IEP manager should discuss accommodations together to determine what is in the students’ best interest.

The Title III program office provides a paper version of the ILAP (in the top five languages in South Carolina) for districts that need an ILAP to implement or are not utilizing an electronic version. This version of the ILAP is not yet mandated by the state but is available for use until uniform procedures are determined statewide. All districts are responsible for providing documents in a language the family understands if not provided by the state.

• Arabic

• Chinese/Mandarin

• Portuguese

• Russian

• Spanish